Rotary engine.



A. STONE. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILE 1,026,474. PatentedMay 14, 191.2.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO-,WASIHNGTON. n. C.

A. STONE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 29. 1910.

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Patented 4,1912. s'sns HEET 2.

I A. STONE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 29, 1910.

Patented May 14, 1912.

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A. STONE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1910. 1,026,474. Patented May 14, 1912.

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IN V'EJV'TOR I flZonzo JZome.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAPB CO" WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNKTED STATES: PATENT ()FFIGE.

ALONZO STONE, OF COALG-ATE, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOJAMES W.

DAVIS, OF COALGATE, OKLAHOMA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1912.

Application filed J'u1y 29, 1910. Serial N 0. 574,480.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALONZO STONE, residing at Coalgate, in the county of Coal, Oklahoma, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to that type of rotary engine in which theworking cylinders are mounted on a body rotatable about a relatively stationary crank shaft with which the pistons in the several working cylinders connect, and the said invention primarily has forits object to provide an improved construction of an engine of the general character stated, in which the several parts are cooperatively connectible and so adjustable whereby the engine can be readily arranged for use under ignited gases or under steam propulsion.

Another object of this invention is in the providing of an engine in which the use or necessity of cog wheels is dispensed with and in which a heavy rotatable rim is utilized as a fly wheelto insure a steady transmission of the power and running.

A further object'of this invention is to produce an engine having adjustable and interchangeable parts whereby to render the engine operable under either steam or gaseous fuel power, in which quickly operative means are included for effecting the reversing of the running direction of the engine, and which are mounted so as to insure an even wear on the crank shaft.

With other objects in view that will hereinafter be specifically stated, my invention, in its generic nature, comprises an improved arrangement of a rotatable and reversibly mountable wheel-like body, the spokes of which constitute working cylinders, pistons operable therein, a relatively stationary crank shaft for the several pistons, valve controlled ports in the rotatable body for directing the infeed of the working agent to the several working pistons successively, and exhausting the spent'working agent, a relatively stationary axial mount for the rotary body, the said mount including adjustable fuel infeeding means for one side of the body and exhausting means for the other side of said body, the several adjustable means being arranged for interchangeable connection with the said body.

In its more subordinate features, my indescribed, specifically pended claims and illustrated in the accompanylng drawings, in which zvention consists in an engine that embodies varlous constructions and combinations of parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully pointed out in the ap- Figure 1, is a perspective view of my on gine, the same being shown arranged as an internal combustion engine. Fig. 2, is a vertical longitudinal section thereof, taken on the line 2-2 on Fig. 3. Fig. 3, is a transverse section of the same taken on the line 3-3 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a cross section of the rotary body taken substantially on the line 4% on Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is a vertical, longitudinal section of the engine, the several parts being adjusted for operating under steam force. Fig. 6, is a transverse sec tion thereof, taken on the line 66 on Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the fixedly held steam controlling valve. Fig. 8, is a cross section through the exhaust, on line 8-8 on Fig. 2. Fig. 9, is a cross section on line 99, Fig. 5. Fig. 10, is an enlarged detail perspective view of the igniting mechanism. Fig. 11, is a front elevation of a modification-of exhaust valve operating device.

Referring now more particularly to the detailed constructionof the parts that constitute my complete engine, the said parts being adjusted and assembled to provide an internal combustion engine, and especially disclosed by Figs. 1 to 4, M designates a hollow shaft, hereinafter termed the feed shaft, on the inlet end of which is mounted a union coupling m for joining the said shaft either witha gaseous fuel or carbureter pipe, or with the steam supply pipe. The shaft M, which is suitably mounted on a bearing standard 10*, has its inner or discharging end extended to the crank chamber X of a rotary wheel like body, which, under the explosive impulses, is rotated and transmits the power from its wide peripheral edge or rim 20 which receives the driving belt, shown in Fig. 1. The wheel-like body, in the construction shown, has three web or spoke portions, forming, as it were, a tri-hedral wheel, since each spoke constitutes a working cylinder, each of which extends from the solid rim portion to the axial or crank chamber, as is best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, by reference to which it will be noticed the several cylinders, designated a, b, 0, each have an inlet duct a, b, 0 that open into their respective cylinders near their inner end and each of which has a closure valve a Z c for shutting off the said ducts to the cylinders when the engine is to run under steam force as will hereinafter be fully explained. At the outer end, each working cylinder has an exhaust port D, normally closed by an automatically closing valve P relatively so arranged with respect to a tripping device F fixedly mounted on the base of the engine frame, see Fig. 2, that at predetermined times, as the cylinder wheel rotates the valves P are opened to permit the exhaust of the burnt mixture from the several cylinders to atmosphere. The pistons 1.0- 20-30 are each independently joined to connecting rods h, h, 72 and all of the said rods are mounted in the wrist or crank pin C fixedly mounted on the inner or fuel discharging end of the hollow stationary shaft M, the several rod connections being such that the pistons are arranged in thirds whereby as the piston 10, (Fig. is at the firing point or point of maximum compression, piston 30 is already beginning to compress a working mixture charge in front of it, while piston :20 is still descending to uncover the feed port thereto. It should be stated that the firing of the compressed charge occurs almost immediately after the piston passes beyond the dead center line, the sparking plugs N being so arranged that they engage the circuit closing contents nn on arms n -n with which battery wires ra -n connect. Each of the exhausts D connects with a duct (Z that extends radially down the spoke like portions of the rotary body and each of the ducts (Z communicates with oneof the three radially disposed exhaust ducts (Z in a cap plate B, mounted. on a hollow shaft section B with which the several ducts cZ communicate and which is rotatably mounted in the frame standard, as best shown in Fig. 2, it being understood that the shaft section B rotates with the wheel-like body, and in practice it discharges into a mufiier w of any approved type.

By reason of the peculiar construction and novel arrangement of the several parts as described, the manner in which my engine works under gaseous fuel will be readily understood by referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, it being apparent that the working agent (the explosive mixture) is drawn into the crank chamber of the rotary wheellike body and passes successively through the inlet ducts a, Z), c in front of the pistons in the several cylinders. \Vhen the charge in each cylinder is compressed to the limit, ignition takes place to drive the respective pistons on their working strokes,

the burnt mixture passing out through the exhaust ports D (and the duct (Z, d) which are held open long enough to provide for a proper scouring or blowing out of the burnt residuum after which a new charge enters the cylinder through the inlet ports thereto, it being also understood that since the wrist pin is a stationary element the movements of the pistons and the swing of their links or rods on the wrist pin exerts the rotary impulses to the wheel-like body.

At the infeed end, the hollow shaft M carries a reversing lever G that is so joined with the shaft that the wrist pin can be set for reversing the direction of movement of the wheel-like body, so the sparking is created early or late with respect to the final or maximum compression position of the several pistons and for increasing or diminishing the speed of the engine.

it should be understood that the working agent is compressed in the crank case by the pistons, a suitable back check valve (not shown) being connected in the pipe with which the shaft M connects, such valve being located at any desired place, preferably adjacent to the carburetor (not shown).

To convert my invention into a steam engine, no material dismantling or removing of parts is required, since the steam chest and controlling valve therein, the steam inlet channels or ports and the exhausts are all a part of the machine when the same is used as an internal combustion engine, most of the said parts being, however, dead.

I designates a steam chest that is bolted to and rotates with the working cylinders, and within the said chest is mounted the controlling valve K, fixedly held on the feed shaft M, it having a port that is held in register with an escape orifice m on the pipe or shaft M, which pipe or shaft, when the engine is run under steam power, has its discharge end that opens into the crank chamber closed by a plug m, as shown in Fig. 5. The steam chest cover I runs with a bearing sleeve 6 on the shaft M which also serves as the lubricating member, it having an oil hole 2? in line with a lubricant feed cup 2% on the cap Z.

When my engine is to run under steam power, the rotary or wheel-like body is connected up with the other ports in a position reverse to that shown in Fig. 4: whereby to bring the long ducts (ZcZ from the exhaust port D in line with the steam feed ports from the combined steam chest and valve chamber I, the valve for the several exhausts D being, under such arrangement of my engine, removed and the valve openings plugged, the ducts (Z to the cylinder being in open communication with the cylinders.

For each cylinder, just in advance of its inner end and adjacent the gaseous fuel inlets, the cover I has inlet ducts s-s-s and these, at predetermined times, come into register with the feed port 7: in the fixedly held valve K in the steam chest, and the '7 several ducts ss"s and conve in the steam into the outer ends of to act on the pistons therein.

Corresponding with each cylinder exhaust ports 6 are provided in the rotatable body that extend transversely thereof and register with three exhausting ducts (Z in the cap plate B through which and the shaft B the steam exhaust passes, since the exhaust ducts e are at predetermined times brought into communication with the exhaust ducts (Z from the cylinders through the medium of the D portion of the valve K as will be clearly understood from the drawing.

From the foregoing'description, taken in connection with the drawings, the advan tages and the complete construction and the manner of operation of the engine under either adjustment, steam 'or explosive fuel, will be readily understood.

the cylinders It is apparent that the heavy rim of the rotary body takes care of the power and maintains a steady running of the engine, and since no loose valves, or cog wheels are required, the engine under either' form is substantially noiseless and by reason of arranging the parts no actual changing of structure is required to convert the engine from an internal combustion engine into a steam engine further than to reverse the po sition of the rotary member, close oh the gas flow controlling valves and plugging up the valve openings for the escape of the burnt residuum and the feed or discharging end of the infeed pipe m.

The engine can be easily set, by a proper shifting of the crank shaft, torun backward or forward or under a high or slow speed.

In Fig. 11 I have shown a slight modifi cation of exhaust valve operating device which is in the nature of a semi-circular cam P, shiftable on its pivot p by a handle 7) which may be held to any adjustmentby a rack and pawl arrangement 79 It designates pivoted levers whose spring held heels 1' engage the surface of the cam P at every revolution of the engine, so that the burnt gases may be allowed to escape through the exhaust ducts (Z as will be readily understood by referring to the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an interchangeable gas and steam engine, a rigid shaft like support, a rotor rotatably mounted thereon, said rotor including a rim portion, radial cylinders and a crank case, pistons operating in said cylinders, a relatively stationary crank, connecting rods between said crank and said pistons, an exhaust pipe, said rotor including a duct for each cylinder, each of said ducts having a port in communication with the working chamber of the respective cylinder, and having a port which serves as an exhaust port wholly when said rotor is acting as an internal combustion engine, means for admitting working agent into said crank case, piston controlled ducts in said rotor for effecting communication between said crank and the working chamber of said cylin'ders, and means for controlling the exhaust of working agent through said first mentioned ducts.

2. In an interchangeable gas and steam engine, a rigid shaft like support, a rotor rotatably mounted thereon, said rotor including a rim portion, radial cylinders and a crank case, pistons operating in said cylinders, a relatively stationary crank, connecting rods between said crank and said pistons, an exhaust pipe, said rotor including a duct for each cylinder, each of said ducts having a port in communication with the working chamber of the respective cylinder, and having a port which serves as an inlet and an outlet port when said rotor is in one position to act as a steam engine and which serves as an exhaust port wholly when said rotor is in another position and acting as an internal combustion engine, said rotor also having cross ducts which extend entirely through said rotor from one side to the other and which, when said rotor is operating as a steam engine will serve in connection with said first mentioned ducts as auxiliary exhaust ducts.

3. A fixed shaft and crank, a rotor mounted on the shaft, said rotor having a working chamber, a piston for the chamber and a connect-ing rod joining said piston and crank, means for admitting working agent to said workingchambers, and for exhausting the spent working agent from the same working chamber, said means including a duct that communicates at one end with the working chamber and which, when the said rot-or is in one position and the engine is running as a steam engine, serves both as an inlet and as an outlet and which, when in another position and the engine is running as an internal combustion engine, serves wholly as an outlet duct from the said working chamber and said rotor having cross ducts, one for each working chamber that extend entirely across the rotor from one side to the other and cooperate at times with said first mentioned ducts.

' 4. In an engine of the character described, a relativelystationary shaft, and crank, a rotor having working chambers, pistons in said chambers and connecting rods between said pistons and said crank and means for shifting the position of the shaft and crank relatively to the rotor, said shaft serving as an infeed for the working agent, piston con trolled means for admitting working agent to the working chambers, and means for exhausting the spent working agent from the said chambers, said exhausting means including a duct that communicates at one end with the working chamber and which, when said rotor is in another position and the engine is running as an internal combustion engine serves wholly as an outlet duct for the said working chamber, and a lever aetuated means for shifting the crank relatively to the rotor.

5. In an engine of the character described, a relatively stationary shaft, and crank, a rotor including cylinders having working chambers, pistons operating in said cylinand which, when said rotor is in another position and the engine is operated as an internal combustion engine serves wholly as an exhaust duct from the said working chamber, a chambered casing rotatable with the rotor a fuel feed controlling valve in the casing, said valve being held relatively stationary to the casing, said valve cooperating with the infeed and exhaust ducts, and lever controlled means for shifting the crank and the valve relatively to the rotator.

6. In an engine of the character described, a hollow fixedly held shaft, a rotor mounted on said shaft and having a crank case, said rotor including a rim and radially disposed cylinders connecting the crank case with the rim, a piston in each rotor cylinder, a crank on said fixedly held shaft, connecting rods between said crank and the respective pistons, a chambered casing detachably mounted, one face of said rotator to form a side closure for said crank case, a cap plate detachably mounted 011 the other face of said rotor to form a closure for the other side of said crank case, said cap plate having ex haust ducts, a hollow rotatable shaft carried by said cap plate and into which said exhaust ducts deliver, said hollow fixedly held shaft serving as a main working agent inlet duct, feed and exhaust ducts carried by said chambered casing, cross exhaust ducts carried by said rotor for connecting the exhaust ducts of said chambered casing with the exhaust ducts of said cap plate, inlet ducts carried by said rotor for connecting the inlet ducts of said chambered casing with the working chambers of said cylinder, a valve on said relatively fixed shaft for controlling the inlet and exhaust ducts of said chambered casing and thereby control the inlet and exhaust of working agent to said cylinders substantially as shown and de scribed.

7. In an engine of the character stated, the

combination wlth a relatively stationary shaft, a rotor reversibly mountable thereon,

a hollow shaft detachably connected to and movable with the rotor, bearings for the two shaft members, a cap plate for the hollow shaft having exhausting ports, another chambered cap plate detachably connected with the rotor at that side opposite the other cap plate, feed and exhaust ducts in the chambered cap plate, the aforesaid rotor including working chambers, a piston for each chamber, a crank on the fixedly held shaft connected with each of the pistons, said relatively stationary shaft having a. passage, said rotor having a crank case with which said passage may communicate, means for plugging said passage to prevent communication with said crank case, said shaft having a port to effect communication with the chamber of said chambered cap plate, a valve that controls the feed and exhaust ducts of said chambered cap plate when the rotor is in motion, said rotor having feed ducts that effect communication between the feed ducts of said chambered cap plate and the working chambers of said rotor, said rotor having cross ducts that effect communi: cation between the exhaust ducts of said chambered cap plate and the exhausting ports of the other cap plate substantially as shown and described. 7

8. In an engine of the class described, a rotor that includes an annular rim portion, a crank case, radial working cylinders connecting said crank case with said rim, each of said cylinders including working chambers, ducts having ports at one end entering the respective working chambers and having ports at their other ends that open at one side of said crank case, said rotor including cross ducts that cooperate at times with said first mentioned ducts, one for each cylinder that extends across the crank case wall from one side of the rotor to the other, said rotor having plugged openings one for each working chamber into which said first mentioned ducts discharge.

9. In an engine of the class described, a rotor that includes an annular rim portion, a crank case, radial working cylinders con necting said crank case with said rim, each of said cylinders including working chambers, ducts having ports at one end entering the respective working chambers and having ports at their other ends that open at the side of said crank case, said rotor including cross ducts, one for each cylinder that extend across the crank case wall from one side of the rotor to the other, said rotor having plugged openings one for each working chamber into which said first mentioned ducts discharge, closure caps for the sides of said crank case, one of said caps having exhaust ducts only, the other of said caps having a set of inlet ducts and a set of exhaust ducts, said cross ducts of said rotor effecting communication between said exhaust ducts of both cap plates When said rotor is in one position With relation to said cap plates when saidrotor is reversed with relation to said cap plates said cross ducts will com- 10 municaTte With the inlet ducts of one of said cap plate and be out of communication With the exhaust ducts of the other cap plate.

ALONZO STONE.

lVitnesses:

J. H. CARSON, W. G. CULBRET.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

